


Of Squabbles & Squash

by Introvertia



Series: 13 Days of Halloween [5]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: 13 Days of Halloween, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Gay Billy Hargrove, M/M, Marijuana, Masturbation, Prompt Fic, billy lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 07:13:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27169823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Introvertia/pseuds/Introvertia
Summary: Billy's trust issues cause a brief spat between the boys. Billy comes around and in his own way makes up for his baffling behavior. Steve is frustrated but more than that he's deeply smitten.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Series: 13 Days of Halloween [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1995811
Comments: 9
Kudos: 93





	Of Squabbles & Squash

**Author's Note:**

> This short piece was inspired by the delightful Gothyringwald's 13 Days of Halloween prompt list.
> 
> Prompt 5: Pumpkins
> 
> This is the 5th installment of 13 fics I will be posting daily between the 19th and the 31st of October. They can be read independently or in sequence.

October 14th, 1986

**The Head-Shrink**

**Part 1**

Billy was seated on the loading dock behind The Bountiful Bakery drinking lukewarm coffee from his battered thermos and smoking a crumpled cigarette. He tapped the heels of his flour spattered work boots against the concrete of the dock. There was a melody playing in the back of his head, it had to be something he’d heard playing in Steve’s car. He was always playing dippy new wave music, they’d been dating for less then two weeks and his horrible music was infecting Billy’s mind.

Billy folded up his work apron and dropped it into his backpack. The air was crisp and the breeze made his eyes water, he still wasn’t used to Indiana weather. Golden leaves skittered across the cracked asphalt of the parking lot and tumbled into red and brown ones, they twisted around one another like a mini tornado.

“So, are you going to call me back anytime soon?” A familiar voice startled Billy, he flicked his eyes over to see Dr. Sam Owens, he was standing a few feet away watching the same little cluster of leaves that Billy had been.

“I was going to call.” Billy said.

“Well if you say so I believe you, but it’s been four days and I got tired of waiting.” Sam said with a shrug.

Sam watched as Billy hopped off the dock and walked towards him. His posture had improved some, he wasn’t as hunched up as he had been before. Billy still had a tendency to avert his eyes when he was speaking, but he was moving better, more like a sulking kid, less like a wounded animal. As Billy got closer Sam could see where Billy’s skin was yellow and lavender above his left eye, the remnants of a fading bruise. In the white of the eye beneath the multi colored bruise at his temple, there was blood pooled in the sclera, the red was boldly bright, so much so that it made his blue eye look violet.

“So, why don’t we grab a coffee and you tell me what happened with officer Callahan?”

“Didn’t you read the police report?” Billy asked, his tone gruff.

“Yeah, I did.” Sam, “I’m sure a lot of it is true, but that’s not what I want to know. I want to know what led up to it. Where your mind was at, before and after. I want to know how you’re feeling.”

“Feeling?” Billy said the word like he always did, like he’d just been deeply insulted.

“Yes, how you’re feeling. So, should we head over to the diner?”

Billy scowled,“No.”

Sam made a mental note that Billy was still uncomfortable in public places. “Too crowded? Well, I’ve got an office over in Carterville, as you know. We could head out there.”

“I’m waiting for someone.” Billy folded his arms.

“Billy, I’m not here to harass you, I’m here to check on you.” Sam said in a tired tone.

“I’m not going to hurt myself,” Billy said.

“Or anyone else? Officer Callahan might say differently, and if you think of Callahan as a means to an end, you hurt yourself via him. Do you see why I’m concerned?”

“Listen Doc, if you’re not gonna get off my back, I’ll come in Friday, just say when.”

“Great, how’s ten in the morning grab you?”

“I’ll be there with bells on,” Billy lifted his chin towards the street, “That’s my ride, see ya.” Billy pulled down his ball cap and walked towards a burgundy BMW.

Sam Owens saw the driver looking at him with a suspicious expression on his face, Sam nodded, he’d seen that kid before, he was in the files.

**Part 2**  
**Bullshit**

“Who’s that?” Steve asked as soon as Billy shut the door.

“Nobody.”

“He’s waving goodbye like he’s your friend.” Steve said as he pulled out.

Billy looked out the window, “It’s no big deal Steve.”

Steve gripped the wheel he turned looking at Billy, “So he’s just some guy that hangs outside of your work? Because he looks like one of _them_.”

Billy folded his arms. “Like one of them?”

“Yeah, you know. The spooks, the feds?” Steve turned onto the the main drag of Hawkins driving slowly heading to Billy’s apartment.

“He knows me from the hospital. Okay?” Billy reached into his jacket pocket trying to find his cigarettes.

“What, he was a patient or something?” Steve persisted.

“No, a doctor.” Billy grumbled.

“Why is he here, did you call him? Are you doing okay? You said you were seeing double, are you still seeing double?”

“No, I’m fine. Jesus. Don’t worry about it.” Billy lowered his window and lit a cigarette.

“A Doctor shows up at your work to check on you and it’s not a big deal? He’s a government doctor, they don’t just show up for fun.”

“Well this one does.”

“Bullshit.” Steve snapped, “How did you get out of jail so quickly?”

“What are you my parole officer?” Billy shouted, “How do you think?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know what to think. What’s the big deal? Why don’t you just tell me what’s going on? Are they sweating you? What does he want? Do you need medication?”

“I don’t need you trying to manage my life Steve. I had a fucking drill sergeant for a father.” Billy unlocked the passenger door and stepped out of the car at the red light.

Steve turned watching him stalk away. The car behind him beeped for him to move. Steve glared in the rearview mirror, and turned off the main road to follow Billy. Billy cut across the parking lot of the lumber yard, Steve knew that meant he was going to cut through the woods. It was a shortcut that Steve had shown him, not only was it a short cut, it was a way that insured Steve couldn’t follow him in his car.

“Fuck you too Hargrove.” Steve said and headed home. When he pulled up in the drive way he got out of the car and slammed his door. He glanced in the backseat and saw the giant pumpkin that he’d bought for Billy, because Billy had mentioned he hadn’t carved one since he was a kid. Steve opened the door and then slammed it again. He went into the house and headed straight up to his room and slammed that door too. Steve punched his pillow but it wasn’t satisfying at all. He grabbed it off the bed and held it over his face, and released a guttural yell into it followed by a string of garbled curse words.

**Part 3**

**A Dark & Stormy Night**

Steve took a long drag off the joint that he’d rolled, the cherry glowed brightly as the dried pot crackled and shrank. After yelling into his pillow he’d gone downstairs to get something to drink, only to find a note his parents had left him, reminding him that they’d be in Indianapolis to celebrate someone’s twenty-fifth wedding anniversary and not returning till the next night. Steve had forgotten they weren’t going to be home, he rarely kept track of their comings and goings anymore, he’d fallen out of that habit since he turned sixteen, and had gotten his driver’s license. After reading the note a second time he’d slapped together a sandwich, grabbed a carton of orange juice and went up to his room, promising himself he wasn’t going to call Billy, or drive to Billy’s place. Steve’s only plan was to eat his sandwich, and get very, very stoned.

Half an hour later Steve got up and slid open the window, he’d smoked his joint to ash, and now the room was smokey and he was tired, dry mouthed and his head felt just a little too heavy, his thoughts kept circling back, or he was having many new thoughts one after the other, and losing track of them… he wasn’t sure which it was. He just knew he needed some fresh air, and then maybe to lay down. A cool damp breeze blew in his face through the screen, Steve inhaled deeply and shivered as the cool air tickled his nose.

“That’s what I’m talking about.” Steve muttered in a state of exaltation as he swayed before the window soaking in the fresh autumnal air wafting over him. Some part of his mind reminded him that he was still mad at Billy, but he just shook his head, “Not mad, hurt.”

The sound of rain drops pattering and splashing on the surface of the pool made him open his eyes, “It’s raining,” he announced as he flopped over on his bed, “It’s raining. Raining.” Steve muttered. He wondered why the pool wasn’t covered, his parents must have forgotten. “No.” Steve said when he thought he should go do it. He laid still for a moment. A small snore escaped his lips and he opened is eyes again. “Okay, alright, okay, let’s go, gotta do it… gonna…” Steve slid onto his feet and grabbed the carton of orange juice and took a long drink. He was going to cover the pool, the rain was certain to knock loose more leaves from the surrounding trees and more pine needles too, the leaves and needles would land in the pool, the pool filter would get clogged, his father would tell him to dismantle it and unclog the filter, it happened every fall and spring, it was a vicious cycle.

“I’m going, no skimming, just cover…” Steve promised himself.

Steve went downstairs flipped on the pool lights and stepped out into the cold October rain. He stood there feeling the pelting cold drops spatter on top of his head and shoulders. He smiled and tilted his head up and felt the water dot his forehead and cheeks. The water sounded fast on the surface of the pool but felt slow as it landed on his skin. He nodded to himself and decided not for the first time that evening, that he was absolutely stoned. Steve felt an errant drop land on his neck and go slithering down the front of his chest, he shivered and straightened up rubbing his chest. Steve went about covering the pool, which meant pulling it across the pool two feet and then going to the other side of the pool and dragging it another two feet, and then back again slowly unspooling it from its dispenser. He started having a sort of one man relay race, racing from one side of the pool to the other and back again. By the time he finished he was a little out of breath and very warm. He pulled damp sweater off over his head, despite the rain and the cold air.When his head popped free of the sweater he saw a blur of motion near him. Steve yelped loudly and took several quick steps backward, he didn’t know what he was seeing, it just looked black and wet and nearly as tall as him, he stumbled off the edge of the pool, and landed on the cover. Cold water came rushing over the pool cover and was surrounding him.  
  
“Steve, shit, hey give me you hand!” Billy’s voice was hoarse he leaned over from the side of the pool reaching for Steve.

“Why the hell are you sneaking!” Steve gasped, he turned stubbornly and moved on his belly towards the side of the pool ignoring Billy’s out stretched hand.

“I said your name like three times!” Billy yelled as he moved around the edge of the pool trying to help Steve get out.

“You scared the shit out of me.” Steve yelled as he pulled himself out of the pool, Billy put his hand on Steve’s forearm to help him out but Steve jerked his arm away. “I thought you were a demogorgon!”

“I’m trying to help you!” Billy stepped back watching Steve stubbornly scramble out of the pool and roll on to the concrete.

“It’s fucking cold!” Steve sat up, he wiped his hair out of his eyes and scowled at Billy.

At that instant, the clouds opened up and the rain started coming down in torrents.

Billy groaned, “Can we go inside?”

Steve got up, he grabbed his sweater off the ground and headed towards the kitchen door, “Come on.” He looked back and saw that Billy was hesitating, “Come on Hargrove, get in the house!”

Steve waited by the door for Billy to come in.

“Forget it!” Billy snapped and turned to leave.

Steve chased after him and grabbed his sleeve, Billy turned sharply and by the pale pool light Steve could see that his fists were clenched. Steve wanted to be mad, but he wasn’t, and more than the hurt he’d been feeling earlier, he just felt sad, and frustrated, and guilty, like he’d somehow failed them both. Billy stood still as a statue, his baseball cap casting his face in shadow. Steve shook his head like a fly was buzzing in his ear, “Don’t go. Please come in.”

Billy said nothing but stepped towards the house. The two of them went inside leaving a trail of damp tiles, rugs, and carpets all the way to Steve’s bed room. Steve stepped out of his wet sneakers and peeled off his soaked socks, he slid his wet jeans off with some effort. He paused and then exhaled a long slow breath and then quickly slid off his briefs. It wasn’t like Billy hadn’t seen him naked hundreds of times in high school.

“I’ve got dry clothes you can wear.” Steve looked over at Billy.

Billy had removed his wet hoodie and ball cap, his eyes were on Steve’s chest. His eyelashes veiled the blue of his eyes as he they traveled down Steve’s chest, down his belly and over his cock. Steve swallowed watching Billy feeling his own nakedness anew. Billy’s chest was rising and falling steadily.

“I could put your stuff in the dryer.” Steve said slowly.

“Yeah. Okay.” Billy finally lifted his eyes to meet Steve’s.He stepped forward, his hoodie held tight in his hands.

Steve gently grasped the fabric, it was heavy with water. He could feel himself blushing, his cheeks burning so hotly they stung.

Billy released the wet garment and grabbed onto Steve’s neck and shoulder, yanking him into a rough kiss. He heard Steve squeak and loosened his grip feeling unsure.

Steve dropped the hoodie and wrapped his arms tightly around Billy. Billy’s mouth was hot and his damp clothes felt icy against Steve’s exposed skin, his body twitched away from the chill of the cloth, but yet he hungered for more of Billy’s kisses. Billy’s hands slid down Steve’s back and squeezed his bare cheeks, Steve released and tantalizing groan into the kiss.

Billy was wet and cold but that wasn’t stopping his cock from plumping with excitement. Billy tucked his chin, then nudged Steve’s jaw, angling to get a taste of his neck.

Steve groaned again, Billy’s mouth was hot on his neck, “Billy,” Steve murmured tilting his head. Steve put his hands on Billy’s waist and pulled up at his wet t-shirt and the thermal shirt under that.

Billy stepped back. He sniffled and ran his hand over his head looking everywhere but at Steve. “You got clothes I can borrow right?”

Steve lowered his hands, he almost covered himself and then didn’t. He was in a half salute and that was Billy’s fault, no point in hiding it. “Uh, yeah…” Steve went through his drawers and grabbed some sweatpants, a clean long sleeved t-shirt, and some socks. “Here.” He handed them to Billy, not knowing what to say or do. He wasn’t exactly sure why things had just stopped all of sudden, and felt a little too high to ask an intelligible questions… mostly his brain was stuck on _Why? NO. But why? Nooo…_

Billy stepped around him and went out in the hall and into the bathroom and shut the door. Steve pulled on some dry pajama pants and a hoodie. He collected his wet clothes off the floor and stepped out into the hallway just as Billy opened the bathroom door.

“Here.”Billy said as he handed Steve his shed wet clothing, still not looking at him and stepped around him and went into Steve’s bedroom.

“I’m just going to put these in the dryer, I’ll get us a drink… something hot.” Steve’s voice diminished as he walked down the hallway.

“Okay.” Billy rubbed his hands over his face. He laid down on his back on Steve’s bed and stared at the ceiling. Just laying in Steve’s bed was torture, it smelled like Steve, his cologne, his shampoo, his weird _Steve_ smell. Billy turned his face pressing it into Steve’s pillow and shoved his hand down the front of his borrowed sweat pants and squeezed his cock, just thinking of Steve’s kisses, thinking about way he’d looked standing there in his room naked, it all made Billy ache with yearning. Billy shut his eyes tightly, “this is stupid.”He spat in his hand and stroked his cock, twisting and teasing the tip, then stroking, tugging faster, harder and faster, imagining Steve sucking him off, then he imagined fucking Steve, all the time working himself. He glanced over his shoulder at the door to the bedroom, but Steve hadn’t come back yet, as far as Billy could tell he was still downstairs. Billy turned on his belly rutted against the mattress, imagined Steve’s long fingers sliding over his cock, his tongue on his neck, he even tried to imagine what it would be like for Steve to pin him down and fuck him. Billy groaned into Steve’s pillow, he rutted his hips imagining Steve on top of him, holding him down, gripping his hair, biting his shoulders. Billy’s body was on fire, his cock hard and growing tender from the chafe of the stiff cotton comforter, he twisted on his side and grabbed a Kleenex box that was sitting on the bedside table, probably for just such an occasion, and spilled into a wad of pristine white tissues with a satisfying grunt.

When Steve walked into the room he had two mugs of steaming mint tea, Billy was laying on the bed with his back to him. Steve set down the mugs and sat on the edge of the bed.

“I’m glad you came over.” Steve said softly, “I don’t, I don’t want you to feel like I’m trying to control your life, I’m sorry.” Steve sat still, waiting and hoping that Billy would tell him to forget about, that everything was okay, but Billy remained silent. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to… like, you’re not Superman, you know? Well, you’re my Superman, but you don’t have to do everything on your own.”

Billy remained silent and Steve was getting nervous and a little bit pissed off. “Don’t, fuck, c’mon Billy will you say something? Billy?” Steve reached over and touched Billy’s shoulder lightly and Billy made a soft grunting sound that morphed into a snore.

“Oh geez man. I’m too stoned for this anyways.” Steve muttered as he got up and shut the windows and pulled back the blankets, “I’m too stoned to talk, but I was game for other stuff.” Steve griped as he turned off the lamp and then spooned up behind Billy. “I’m glad you’re here.” He whispered before falling asleep with Billy in his arms.

**Part 4**

**The Great Pumpkin**

Billy awoke to the sound of his stomach growling. He’d not eaten since his lunch break, and that was apparently yesterday. He sat up, and yawned so hard his jaw popped. He squinted in the hazy fall morning light. He looked around the room and saw there was no sign of Steve. He sat up shoving off the soft warm blankets. He didn’t remember falling asleep in Steve’s bed, nor being tucked in. He cracked his neck and wandered into the hallway stretching his arms and back as he shuffled along sleepily, he was feeling only slightly anxious about the prospects of running into Steve’s parents, he was much more distracted by his hunger.

Steve was standing at the stove rolling some sausages across a pan, he was dressed and Billy could smell the shampoo in his hair and cologne on his skin from the kitchen doorway, it mingled not unpleasantly with the scent of coffee.

“What’re you doing?” Billy asked.

Steve looked over, “I’m making breakfast. Do you like waffles and sausage? Can you stay?”

Billy nodded, it was his day off and there was nowhere else he’d rather be.

“Have a seat.” Steve nodded in the direction of the kitchen table. An enormous pumpkin was set in the center of the table.

“Is that dessert?” Billy chuckled as he walked over and knocked lightly on the pumpkin.

“I got it for you.” Steve said as he loaded two plates with sausages and toasted Eggo waffles.

“When?” Billy smirked looking at the pumpkin, it was big enough to hollow out and put on his head if he wanted to.

“Yesterday, before I picked you up.” Steve sat down across from Billy and poured coffee in both their mugs.

Billy looked at the table, it was set for two, there was even a little glass of orange juice. “Where are your folks?”, he asked as he picked up the glass and took a sip.

“Outta town.”

Billy nodded, “So are we gonna carve this after breakfast?”

“Yeah. If you want."

Steve sounded pensive, Billy watched as Steve cut his waffles up into tiny squares, and his sausages into quarters.

Billy started eating, he knew he should say something, but didn’t know what.

“It would be nice if you, would just trust me… I mean, I trust you? We should, it’s like…We’re you know, a team.” Steve said before taking a sip of his coffee.

Billy raised his eyebrows, “Like the A-Team?” He smirked, he knew he was winding Steve up, but he couldn’t help himself, Billy had a feeling this was going to be a ‘talk’, and he just wanted to eat breakfast and maybe things would shift back to normal, back to the sweet spot they’d been at before Steve had started asking him about Dr. Owens.

“No.” Steve sighed, “What I’m saying is I’ve got your back. Yesterday, after you got out of the car, in the middle of the street,”

“We were at stop.” Billy said as he drizzled maple syrup over his waffles.

“Fine, not in the middle of the street,just know that you can tell me whatever you want, and if there are things you don’t want to talk about, then I hope we can talk about them eventually… like when you’re ready. I’m not trying to run your life. And I don’t want to fight with you again.”

“We didn’t fight.” Billy figured since it hadn’t come to blows it wasn’t really a fight.

“Okay, we almost fought, we argued…I worry Okay?Because I give a shit, I care about you. You don’t have to do this on your own.”

“Be still my heart, he gives a shit.” Billy rolled his eyes, but his heart also fluttered and he could feel himself blushing. Steve really did care.

“Don’t make fun of me.” Steve said looking cross.

“Fuck, what do you want me to say Steve?” Billy looked around the room as it testifying before an invisible audience “I’m here, I came here last night to make sure that we’re cool.”

“We’re cool.” Steve said and then after a beat, “I was really stoned last night.”

“Is that why you fell in the pool?”

“You snuck up on me.” Steve said defensively.

Billy compressed his lips, his eyes were dancing.Steve frowned looking at him. Billy stood up and leaned across the table and kissed Steve on the lips. “Alright pretty boy, we had a fight,” Billy kissed him again, tasting of maple syrup and coffee. He licked his lips looking at Steve. “Now we kissed and made up. So we’re cool, right?”

Steve sat back and tilted his head looking at Billy, there was so much more he wanted to understand so much more he wanted to know. Who was that government doctor? What had happened at the Police station when Billy was released? But he knew he’d have to be patient… the hardest thing not to ask about was why Billy had pulled away last night. Steve sighed and ate a bit of his waffle.

Billy finished his food and drank two cups of coffee. They were both quiet for a spell, lost in their own thoughts. When Steve finished his food Billy picked up the plates and washed them.

Steve watched him, it was weird to see Billy do something so trivial and mundane and yet have this overwhelming feeling that Steve was having, the feeling of being in love, deeply stupidly in love. Steve stood up and walked up behind Billy and whispered in his ear, “You still want to carve your pumpkin?”

Billy shivered imperceptibly and nodded, he felt Steve’s arms wrap around his waist. “Yeah.” Billy murmured sinking his hands into the hot soapy water he grabbed hold of a cup and washed it slowly.

“I’m glad you stayed last night, you can sleep here, whenever you want.” Steve spoke softly his lips brushing Billy’s ear. Billy closed his eyes and felt a wave of desire rush up his core, he remembered imagining Steve taking him from behind.

“Good to know.” He said, his voice cracking faintly.

Steve kissed Billy’s neck once, lightly and stepped away because he was getting very hard simply by holding onto Billy. He wanted to ask Billy if he would be his boyfriend, but it sounded silly, or worse, juvenile.

“Hey.” Billy was drying his hands with a dish towel leaning on the sink, “So are we going steady, or what?”

“Uh,” Steve felt his cheeks go crimson, he smiled and nodded, “Like boyfriends?” Steve felt like he’d almost wished it into being, he smiled and nodded“Uh,Yes.”

“Cool. So where are the knives?” Billy turned and started opening drawers looking for knives to carve the pumpkin with and to hide his great big jack-o-lantern’s grin.

**Author's Note:**

> I can't believe it's almost Halloween! Seriously it's my favorite holiday and this is my favorite ship, so thanks for reading! Comments and questions are always welcomed and greatly appreciated!


End file.
